Leipzig's evacuation was imminent. Was there any chance of rescuing the storied Antonov?
In the early days of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, one of the most significant casualties was the Antonov An-225 Mriya, the world's largest cargo aircraft. The aircraft was destroyed on the ground at Hostomel Airport (also known as Antonov International Airport), near Kyiv.
Rumours and early reports suggested that the An-225 had been damaged or destroyed, but the reality was far more devastating. During the initial Russian assault on Kyiv, Hostomel Airport was the site of intense fighting. Russian forces targeted the airport early in the invasion, and much of the infrastructure and aircraft present were destroyed or severely damaged, including the An-225 Mriya.
The destruction of the An-225 was confirmed by visual evidence and official statements from Antonov, which later announced the aircraft was beyond repair. Unlike some other Antonov aircraft—such as the An-124 Ruslan, which was later flown out of Svyatoshino in July 2025—the An-225 was based at Hostomel, not Svyatoshino. Svyatoshino, the main production airfield for Antonov, survived hostilities largely intact, while Hostomel bore the brunt of early Russian attacks.
By the time the An-225 could have been considered for relocation, it was already destroyed. The successful evacuation of the An-124 in 2025 showed that Antonov could move large aircraft out of Ukraine—but only when the aircraft was physically intact and the threat environment permitted. In the chaotic early days of the invasion, with Hostomel under direct assault, there was neither the time nor the security to prepare the An-225 for evacuation.
The An-225's loss was not a failure of evacuation efforts, but rather a consequence of being trapped at ground zero of the Russian assault. In a poignant moment, pilot Dmytro Antonov visited the burned-out hangar and the remains of the only aircraft of this type, his "Mrija". He recalled, "I said: Hello Airplane," fighting back tears. "Humans Built It and Humans Destroyed It."
Despite the tragic loss of the An-225 Mriya, the spirit of Ukrainian aviation remains undeterred. Many Ukrainian airlines moved their aircraft to safety before the Russian attack, and the An-124 Ruslan was successfully evacuated in 2025. The An-225 flew again over Kiev and landed in Leipzig for the first time since 2022, a symbol of resilience and hope for the future.
The destruction of the An-225 Mriya, the world's largest cargo aircraft, was not a result of evacuation efforts, but rather a consequence of being trapped at ground zero of the Russian assault. The loss of this aircraft, a significant asset in the aerospace industry, was a unfortunate consequence in the early days of finance and technology battles in Ukraine.
